with eggplants, kashk (thick whey), meat, mint, and onions

Ingredients (4 Servings)

• 6 small eggplants
• 500 grams lamb or beef
• one glass kashk (kashk is thick whey, and should be purchased in Iran or at an Iranian store)
• 4medium onions
• 2 spoons dried mint (or 200 grams of fresh mint)
• cooking oil
• salt
• black pepper

Direction

Peel and finely chop onions, Fry in oil until golden. Save half for later use. Cut meat into small pieces and fry with onions until colour changes. Add 2-3 glasses of hot water and cook over medium heat for about 45 minutes. If necessary, additional hot water should be added while cooking.

Peel eggplants and slice length-wise to a thickness of 1 cm. Add salt and pepper and fry on both sides on medium heat until golden. Mash the meat and eggplants and mix well. Add the gravy from the meat and one glass of hot water to the mix and cook over low heat, mixing occasionally until no water is left. Remove the mix from heat. Add kashk and mix well, then add fried onions on top.

Fry dried mint in oil for a few minutes. (If fresh mint is used, wash and finely chop it, then fry in oil). Also add fried mint on top of Haleem Baadenjaan and serve.